BLOG: Every network failure should be used to improve the network

Denise Fishburne |
June 13, 2013

Some advice for rebounding from network failure

Let's accept reality. A network is so much more than just the sum of its electronic parts, operating systems, and configurations. It is an extension of the past and the present of our company. Much like the growth rings of a tree, we can look at our company's network and see all the human history of our company.

That is probably why post-mortems are so hard and completely avoided or unproductive. People often bring much "baggage" to the post-mortem. Agendas, politics, silos, likes, dislikes, fears. The list goes on and on. How can the post mortem possibly get anywhere?

But of course, we've all heard the expression "Nothing changes if nothing changes."

Do you know how muscles grow bigger and stronger? During a workout you develop microscopic tears in your muscle fiber. Your body works to repair the damage. Voila. Muscle growth. No judgement. No thinking "that shouldn't have failed." Just the focus on the response.

Think of your network. Don't you want that for your network? Seriously, imagine it. Take just one minute right now. Can you even picture what your network woud look like if "every network failure was used to improve the network"? You can help to do that. You can help make the difference.

While "speak softly, and carry a big stick" (Theodore Roosevelt) might have been a great foreign policy position, it is really something to be avoided in the conference room during a post-mortem.

Check your ego at the door.

Don't play the blame game. Even if someone else starts it, doesn't mean you have to play also.

Check your motives prior to opening your mouth.

"It is a narrow mind which cannot look at a subject from various points of view." —George Eliot